The Island
by with love Marilyn
Summary: Bella is prepared for a fun relaxed vacation on a cruise with her boyfriend Jake and best friend Alice but when their vacation takes a turn for the worst Bella is not prepared for the situation she ends up in and who she ends up with. Rated M for future chaps. All human.
1. Chapter 1

The sun felt so warm it warmed my skin the second I stepped out of the air conditioned car.

"I feel better already!" Alice called out from the driver's side as she slammed the door and spread her arms out taking in the Florida sun. I grinned at her as her big floppy hat nearly blew off her head from the Florida breeze.

"I'll feel better once the cocktails start to flow" I call back as I grabbed my carry on from the back seat of the rental car.

Our vacation had started out a disaster. I was beginning to think that the only memories we would have of our trip would be filled with delays and crappy airplanes and lost reservations and overbooked hotels. But now spending one horrible night in a scary motel seemed worth it. Today the sun was high and ocean breeze blew through my hair and I was finally beginning to feel the freedom of our vacation.

"Shouldn't Jacob be here by now?" Alice says as she heaves her oversized suitcases from the trunk.

"We are a bit early."

I rush over to help her lift out the biggest one. My much smaller suitcases had to be stored in the back seats because hers took up the whole trunk.

"Alright you stay here with the luggage I'll go return the car" she says as she hops back in the car and speeds off. The rental car had not been part of our plan but we had been unable to get a taxi last night. So now here we were waiting for Jacob to pick us up to take us over the dock. He had flown in a few days before us since his job gave him more days off and he wanted to catch a few surfing days with a friend that moved here not too long ago.

I sat on the curb leaning back on my hands enjoying the warmth from the sun. The sun felt so amazing when it was accompanied by a soft breeze instead of dry wind. I stood as a big faded light blue van pulled up in front of me. The car barely stopped before the passenger door flung open and Jacob jumped out coming at me arms wide open. I grinned as he pulled me into his arms and off the ground in a little spin. I could feel my face heat even though I missed him.

"I didn't realize how much I missed you until I saw you just now." He said into my hair. My blush deepened as it spread down my neck.

"I missed you too "I laughed nervously as his friend jumps out of the driver's seat and came over. He was tall and tan with long sun bleached hair.

"Bella this is Jarrod" Jacob said as he let me go and slid his arm around my waist.

"it's about time I met the infamous Bella. I can finally put a face to all the stories I've heard." He says grinning at me. I smile back but just as I'm about to reply Alice arrives.

"Hi I'm Alice." She practically sings. "I don't mean to be brash but if we don't get going we will never make it to the Caribbean."

"If the little lady says lets go the lets go." Jarrod replies picking up her largest suitcase as if it didn't way a thing. The guys had everything in the van by the time Alice and I managed to pull ourselves into the back seat.

We arrived at the dock in a matter of minutes. Alice talked my ear off the whole way. But it was hard to focus on what she was saying while we drove past sand so white I could just picture myself sprawled out on it. And water so beautiful it made me want to jump right out of the car. I had never imagined Florida so beautiful.

The Cruise ship made me feel so small and it was probably the smallest one here. It looked so grand and white and terrifying. I couldn't wait to get on but at the same time my nerves were beginning to kick in. I knew nothing would happen but I also couldn't shake my nerves. Alice clearly didn't have the same problem she was jumping around ordering the guys around and chatting about the cruise with other vacationers heading the same way as us. She was even more hyper then ever before. There was officially no stopping her. Jacob appeared more focused on making sure our luggage all went through I doubted he even got the chance to look at the ship now that Jarrod dropped us off and left, he was trying to keep track of all the luggage Alice brought on his own.

By the time get got to our room I was exhausted and I was sure Jacob felt the same. We had managed to get two joint rooms Alice in one Jacob and me in the other. The rooms were small but they had everything we could possibly need even a little round window and window seat. I sprawled out on the big fluffy bed as soon as I made it in. I was tired from the little sleep I managed to get the night before and just watching Alice hop around exhausted me. Jacob followed my lead after making sure Alice made it to her room alright. He pulled me against him the second he got on the bed and his body curled around mine nicely and suddenly all I wanted to do was take a nap. I felt so at home in his arms and so tired I could almost forget my excitement. Alice however did not forget hers .She burst through our joining door in a new outfit and the same big hat that only made you realize how small she really was.

"What are you doing! We finally make it here and you're laying down? Are you insane let's go look around at least?"

"Alice you go explore make some friends for an hour or two and then we will go find you." Jacob says before nuzzling into my back more. I could barely register the door slamming shut behind me before my eyes drifted shut.

I awoke about an hour later refreshed and exited once again. I wiggled my way out of Jacobs's arms without waking him. (He was a heavy sleeper) and got into the little shower in our bathroom. When I got out I threw on a bikini and a pair of shorts. I wanted to be one of those girls that were comfortable walking around without a shirt, but when I looked in the mirror I realized who I was kidding so I threw on a flowy tank top on top. After applying some chap stick I snuck out of the room with my room key in my back pocket and some cash. The ship was beautiful and all inclusive. Except for drinks. But money wasn't allowed on the ship so it was my understanding that there were machines that let you put money into your room key. The hallways were small but slightly confusing. I got a bit lost and the halls were empty and I was just beginning to get a bit frustrated when I found a big glass door that looked like it led outside.

The moment I opened the door I was hit with two things a strong cool breeze that blew my wet hair back, and the sound of a very familiar twinkling laughter. I had arrived at the enormous pool which was already filled with tons of people milling about. There were hot tubs on decks, shirtless men, girls in tiny bikinis sun bathing, and a very long bar. A bar that Alice had of course already found. She was sitting on the counter with a tall blended drink in her hand giggling at what the two guys surrounding her were saying. She was wearing a cute light green romper with little flowers that showed off her thin figure perfectly.

"Bella" she grinned at me when I made my way to her. "Guys this is my best friend and roommate Bella." She sang to them. "Bella these are my new friends Kyle and Liam there from California." She said smiling impressively at me.

"Nice to meet you." One of the blondes said shaking my hand and gliding his eyes down my body.

"Let's get you a drink." The other said already leaning over the bar to call over the waiter.

"I'll have whatever she's having" I laughed nervously as the one I presumed to be Kyle stepped aside and allowed me to have his stool.

"So Bella you're from Seattle as well? Are you from there originally?" Presumed Liam asked as he handed me a fruity blended cocktail. My name sounded surprisingly sweet on his lips.

"No I just moved there for school about two years ago, it's how I met Alice we were assigned the same dorm." I replied allowing myself to relax.

We manage to fall into easy conversation the guys turn out to be quite interesting and even funny. They have us at the bar talking and laughing and it becomes so comfortable that I lose track of time and the amount of drinks we have had. The sun has started to set by the time I notice Jacob watching us from across the pool in a pair of swim trunks. I immediately straighten and just as I'm about to stand up the bell rings announcing dinner.

"Well ladies we better head off we promised our friends to meet them for dinner but hopefully we will run into each other again" Kyle says grinning at me.

"Goodbye Alice" Liam says kissing her hand.

"See you later Bella." Kyle says softly leaning in for what might have been a kiss on the cheek but I quickly turn my head replying "have a nice dinner." Or something to that affect

"God Bella they are SO cute." Alice's gushes excitedly as she hops down off the bar.

"They are. "I reply before finishing off the last of my drink. "I caught Jacob watching us, do you think he will be mad?"

"He shouldn't be it was just a little flirting. "She says looking around for him, but he was already lost in the crowd.

"You know how he is." I sigh pushing my hair back with both hands. "He's so jealous and over protective."

"I told you not to bring him along" Alice sang as she finished off her drink as well. I ignored her but as I turned around to leave I nearly bump straight into Jacob.

"You girls ready to head back to the room and change?" he says evenly but I could tell he was at least a little upset.

We both follow him towards the door without saying anything. As we are walking I try to keep my head down but my eye catches on a guy in one of the big comfy chairs lined up around the rail of the ship. He was fully dressed in black as if there hadn't been a hot sun beating down all day. His nose was buried deep in a book. He seemed as though he didn't even want to be here. I lose focus on him as Jacob holds the door open for me and gives me a look that lets me know he really is mad. Dammit. The last thing I need.

When we finally arrive at our room he slams the door shut behind me but I don't say anything and neither does he. I could tell he is waiting for me to look at him but I avoid his gaze and focus on pulling out a dress for the first formal dinner of the cruise. There was supposed to be two one on the first night and one the day before we arrive back in Miami. Alice had of course, surprised me with both of the dresses one a deep purple that reached my knees and another simpler dark blue that flowed to my ankles.

"You are unbelievable." He finally says exasperated as I slip the blue dress over my head.

"Jacob..." I start as I finally turn around to look at him. But I don't finish because I don't even know what to say to him.

"I can't even trust you alone for a couple hours because you find the first pair of douchebags to flirt with!"

"God Jacob don't start! Why are you like this? I have never given you a reason not to trust me!" I yell back.

"Not to trust you? Are you kidding me? Those guys were all over you and you let them! Is that what you call trustworthy behavior from someone in a committed relationship?"

"No! It's what I call talking to a couple of guys! So because I'm going out with you I can't talk to any other guys on this planet? You are so over dramatic Jacob that it's really becoming a pain in the ass." I yell as I push past him into the bathroom. "I am sick of you acting like I am some cheating whore just because I'm chatting with another guy!" I am running a brush roughly threw my hair and I'm sure ill regret it later but at the moment I'm so upset I couldn't care less.

"You were FLIRTING" he says stepping in front of the bathroom door.

"So what if I was! It's INNOCENT!" I say slamming my brush down onto the counter.

"Those guys were just trying to get into your pants!"

"It doesn't matter! It's not like I would let them! Is that the kind of girl you think I am? The kind that will sleep with the first guy that buys her a drink? It wouldn't matter if I was single it still wouldn't have led to anything more than a couple drinks and a conversation!"

"Why can't you just respect that I don't want you flirting with other guys?" he says finally lowering his voice. He now sounded more frustrated then upset.

"Why can't you just respect that me I can't live my life talking to one guy for the rest of my life? "I reply lowering my voice as well. He sighs and leans his forehead on the door frame.

"look." I say stepping towards him and grabbing his hand. "I am a commitment kind of girl. When I say I'm committed I mean it. I'm never going to cheat on you. I love you. You know that. But if this is going to work then you need to understand that sometimes I will talk with other guys and sometimes that might come off as flirting but that's all it will ever be. I'm yours but just because I'm yours doesn't mean I can't still live my life."

He doesn't answer. Instead he pulls me into his arms. I know our fights not really over because he hasn't agreed to let me be but for now I think we have both agreed we don't want to fight while we are on vacation. He leaves the bathroom to go change and not another word is said between us. I manage to apply a tiny bit of make up; just enough to add a little color to my plain face. I also pull my hair up in a loose up do and throw on the earrings Alice gave me to go with the dress they were simple but they dangled all the way to my shoulders. They went nicely with the blue dress. The dress was simple and made of light flowy royal blue material. It tied around my neck and exposed quite a bit of my back but was perfect for the night. It was simple but just enough elegance. Jacob changed into a pair of jeans and a white button up shirt and told me he would wait in the dining room while I went to get Alice who still hadn't emerged from the room. I slipped into her room just moments after he left and grabbed the strappy sandals she helped me pick to go with both the dresses on my way out.

"Hey Alice are you almost ready?" I called out to her bathroom as I sat on her bed to strap on the sandals.

"Almost." She said poking her head out of the bathroom a she put on her earrings. "Is everything alright? He sounded upset."

"You heard?" I sighed slipping on the next sandal

"Just muffled yelling." I sigh feeling like I just want to crawl under the covers" if it makes you feel any better I couldn't understand what you were saying."

"Oh wonderful"

"Is he still mad?"

"I don't know." I shrug. "I guess he's decided to let it go for now. " I say following her into the bathroom where the counter is covered in makeup and product." I can't even really be mad at him for it. I know it's my fault. I don't know what's wrong with me. I never even had the urge to flirt before I met him, but lately it's like I can't help myself. I hardly even notice I'm doing it until he catches me."

She doesn't say anything else. She doesn't need to. She and I both know what's wrong. I just am not as happy with Jake as I know I should be. He's perfect, and I have done everything to push him away and now I have turned him into this super jealous guy. All because a part of me wants more.

Alice changes the subject knowing I don't really feel like talking about this anymore. I watch her finish getting ready as we chat. Her shoulder length reddish brown hair is curled slightly at the ends making it look effortlessly perfect. Her face has just the right amount of makeup to make her look mysteriously sexy and her black strappy dress falls on her perfectly as though it were made for her. She looks amazing as always.

We stroll out of the room together with her back to her usual chatty self. As we make our way down the hall I realize I forgot my clutch. I hurry back to the room and grab it as I am shutting the door to my room I turn around and there he is. I Don't look at his face but I know he sees me, the man in black. I can feel his eyes on me. I turn away from him and hurry off. We manage to find the dining room just as dinner is about to begin. The room is grand, all gold and a soft white. The tables were all filled and the host led showed us to our table where Jake was already chatting with an older guy who appeared to be there with his two daughters. We sat down and Jake introduced us quickly before turning his attention back to their conversation. The food turned out to be very good and Alice and I enjoyed it. After words Jake headed off with the man to some game room or something and Alice and I changed into our bathing suits and spent a few hours in a hot tub making conversation with a couple of girls on spring vacation. We had a good time but I was unable to sink back into the comfortableness I was in earlier. I just couldn't stop thinking about Jake and I was beginning to realize it just wasn't going to work. When Alice and I made it back to the rooms it was nearly midnight and Jake still wasn't back. We both decided to get some rest since we were still tired from all the traveling we both showered quickly and changed into pajamas. By the time I finished Jake still wasn't back, so I went over to Alice's room and we put on a movie and both fell asleep half way through.

The next two days went by uneventfully as the boat grew closer and closer to the Caribbean. We all had breakfast together at the buffet in the dining room before Jake headed off with a couple of guys he met where they went to go play pool or something of that sort while Alice and I sun bathed out by the pool. There was a couple of activities going on but she and I decided to just relax with drinks by the pool. While Alice went out to the small nightclub at night I made an appointment for a late massage and facial. Overall we were having a good time. Even better than I thought we would after our little fight. Jacob didn't bring it up and I avoided situations that might stir it back up. He would come back to the room early enough and we even made love one night.

That night after he fell asleep I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. It was only midnight but I threw on some shorts and a tank top and checked to see if Alice was back from the club but she wasn't. I couldn't stand being in the room anymore and I realized I was a bit hungry so I threw on a big hoodie and left the room to see if the bar by the pool was still serving snacks. When I got their the pool was mostly deserted except for a few couples on the hot tubs and some people hanging around the bar chatting casually as if it wasn't the middle of the night. I ordered a soda and a large order of nachos and went to go sit on one if the little tables near the railing of the ship. The night was cold but they had turned on fire heaters near the bar and the tables surrounding it. I waited for my food and once it came I ate peacefully enjoying the view of the dark blue sky filled with stars and then sound of the ocean around me. When I finished I walked around a little and before I knew it I was beginning to yawn again and I was beginning to feel cold. I made my way back to the door leading inside I pulled it open and rushed in and bumped straight into a body on the other side of the door.

"Oh god I'm sorry." I say bending over to pick up the book he had dropped. As I handed it back to him I finally made eye contact and was inches away from the most beautiful emerald green eyes I had ever seen.

"No problem I wasn't paying much attention either." His voice pulled my eyes away from his long enough to see just how handsome he was. It also let me see that this was the same guy I had seen on the deck reading and in the hall. He was gorgeous, and he hardly even looked at me before rushing past me to the outside.

I made it back to my room but I was unable to get him out of my mind even as I lay beside Jacob; whose arm draped across my stomach the second I laid down, I just couldn't forget the color of his eyes. The perfect shade of Green.

Hope you enjoyed it.

~with love Marilyn


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning I woke up much later than usual. I rolled over and found Jakes side of the bed empty. There was barely any light coming in through the window. At first I thought it meant it was really early in the morning but it wouldn't make sense for Jake to be up so early. It wasn't until I sat up in bed that I realized it was already noon. Outside the window the skies were dark and cloudy and the ocean looked almost angry. For a moment it made me a bit nervous but I'm pretty positive this type of weather is very common in the tropics so there's really nothing to worry about it wasn't even raining. The thing I was worried about however, is what we were going to do all day with the sky so dark. Our sun bathing and poolside cocktails had come to a halt.

After brushing my teeth and throwing my hair into a ponytail I changed into the only pair of jeans I packed which I had actually planned to wear on the flight back home, and the same hoodie I wore last night; I headed into Alice's room to find her laying on her stomach still asleep.

"Aliiiice" I sing softly as I sit on the edge of her bed and touch her shoulder. "Good morning sunshine. "I say as she slowly comes to.

"Damn what time is it?" she says looking out the window. She must have been thinking the same thing I had thought when I first woke up.

"It's noon. It's a pretty ugly day." I sigh staring out the window.

"That sucks hopefully it will clear out by tomorrow. "She says sitting up. Her face was in last nights smeared makeup but her hair looked fine.

"Hangover?" I asked as she rubbed her eyes and smoothed her hair back out of her face.

"No I didn't drink munch, but I met this cute guy at the bar and we ended up talking all night I didn't get back to the room until like four in the morning."

"Well you better get up and get dressed they close breakfast in twenty minutes and they don't serve lunch for another hour after that so we better run and hope we still find some good food left" I say standing up so that she can climb out of bed. She gets ready in about five minutes. She unlike me didn't pack any jeans so she ends up wearing the outfit she packed to wear to the gym which luckily included a running jacket.

When we get to the buffet there is plenty of food, thank god. Alice and I were both starving and between the two of us we finish off quite a bit of food. We hear from a couple next to our table that they are showing movies in one of the rec rooms and that they are allowing guests to borrow board games and movies. They aren't allowing people in the pool areas because of a risk of lightning or something so Alice and I decided to avoid the rec rooms which were probably overflowing with people anyways so we picked up a couple old movies and a deck of cards and went to her room to hangout.

After playing a few hands of blackjack the ships rocking starts to increase as it starts to rain. The storm starts to get a little stronger but there's an announcement through the intercom saying not to worry the storm should blow over soon and that the captain is quite used to these kinds of storms. Alice and I decide to kick back and just watch a movie but by the end of the movie the storm only appears to have gotten worse.

"Let's go grab some lunch. At least we can talk to someone else and see if this is actually normal." Alice say's as she slips on her shoes.

"Do you think maybe they are just telling us it's normal so that we don't panic?" I ask her as we are walking down the hall. We have to hold on to the wall to prevent from falling the rocking was just so hard.

"I am sure they would. But I am also sure that they are used to big storms." She replies.

When we get to the dining room it's packed and louder than usual. We find Jacob right away at a table with a couple guys. There's a table full of food but they don't really appear to be eating.

"Hey babe." Jake says as I kiss his check and sit in the open chair next to him. Alice ends up sitting between a couple guys we hadn't met but appeared to be a about our age.

"Hey, crazy weather huh?" I say helping myself to the fries on his plate.

"Yeah a bit." One of the guys says.

"Do you think it's normal? It seems a little too rough to be normal. "Alice says as she grabs an empty plate and starts grabbing from the plates in the middle of the table. I was a little too nervous to eat all that much.

"I don't know I have been on a couple cruises and a few of them went through some storms but even the worst one didn't seem this bad." Another guy said.

"I'm sure everything will be alright. No point in worrying about something we can't control." Jacob said ending the conversation. We all just sort of pick at our food in silence for a while. Without as much as a few words exchanged we all split up to head to our rooms. We are just about to unlock our room when suddenly the ship jolts and shudders and my back slams into the wall behind us but I manage to catch myself before falling all the way down. A red light starts flashing and a women's voice comes on the intercom. "EVERYONE PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND PROCEED TO THE MAIN DECK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE."

"Should we grab our stuff or something?" I ask as the three of us just sort of stare at each other, our hands are gripping the walls but the boat isn't shaking so much anymore.

"Don't be stupid what do we need our stuff for let's just go." Jacob says grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hallway that was already beginning to fill with people. We make it to the main deck just before the hallways start to get blocked with so much traffic. While Jacob thought it was stupid to bring our stuff other people didn't. Tons of people had brought all their suitcases with them and even though I knew there weren't that many people on this boat the main deck was twice as crowded because of all the stuff they brought. There was lots of staff people pointing and yelling but it was hard to listen to them with so many people yelling trying to find out what was going on. The boat had started rocking though not as much and it was causing a lot of people to bump into each other. Alice was gripping onto my hand tightly so that we wouldn't get separated but I was already beginning to lose Jacob as more and more people came in between us. The rain was coming down heavily and my clothes were already soaking wet. It took me a moment to realize what we were all standing around waiting for. They were lowering boats. Boats filled with people.

"Jacob!" I yell when I completely lose track of him. "Jake!"

"Everyone please remain calm! "A man in what looks like a bellhops suit is yelling.

"What is going on!" a man yells grabbing onto his arm and pulling him roughly to keep him from running off.

"We have appeared to hit and unidentified object possibly a rock of some sort. It has torn though the bottom of the ship. The ships sinking which is why we are getting people onto boats please remain calm there is plenty of time to get everyone onto the boats we just need you all to remain in your assigned groups." I hear him say just as a group of people swarm around to hear him. The yelling increases and Alice and I push ourselves through the crowd away from him.

"What are we supposed to do!" she yells looking panicked.

"We just need to stay together we will be fine! Let's just try and stay in one spot he says there's plenty of time to get on the boats and I think he says right already they have lowered a couple boats and the ships not tipping or anything so let's just focus on staying together." I yell. Our arms are locked tightly together and we do our best to hold our spots as people shove and push. We were fairly close to one of two spots they were lowering ships from. But so many people were trying to shove past us to the front that little by little we were getting pushed back. The deck was also covered in abandoned suitcases which only made it harder not to fall over.

"I think we are going to have to start trying to push our way to the front!" Alice yells" we are only getting pushed further back it's not fair! We have to fight our way forward just so that we can keep close to the front!"

"Okay!" I yell back. I grip onto her shaking hand tighter, or maybe it was my hand that was shaking it was hard to tell it was the only part of my body that wasn't freezing cold. We had just begun to start pushing our way towards the front when the ships gives another sudden tilt. A person beside us loses their balance and falls in between us breaking my hold on her arm and pulling me down with him on top of a suitcases that hits me right on the left side of my stomach. The pain and the people around me make it difficult to get backup. By the time I am standing I have already lost Alice in the crowd

"ALICE!"I yell but already my voice is lost with other names being shouted. Suddenly the panic begins to set in. The ship is sinking. It's going down and I lost Alice and Jacob. I won't know if she's alright. She's so small what if she's been trampled. I begin to get frantic and start shoving myself roughly through any open gap. I'm yelling her name hoping I will find her. I don't find her. But I somehow find my way right near the front where they are rushing to load people on the boats. Alice would want me to get on the boat. She'd be pissed if I didn't. She would do it. But I can't get on the boat without her. I don't end up making much of a decision in the end. I am grabbed roughly by the arm and pulled through the front straight towards the boat that has been lowered beside the ship. It's rocking roughly and there is a man already on it with a bunch of other people mostly women but a few men too. He grabs my waist and pulls me onto the boat. Without so much as giving me a second to breathe. I stumble in catching myself against the side.

My blood turns cold when I look over board. We were so far above the ocean and people were being thrown into the boat making it sway and shake roughly. A woman beside me is passing out life jackets frantically. She tosses me one and I immediately buckle myself into it. I squeeze myself back into the farthest spot all the way at the back tip of the boat to make room for more people. I glued my eyes to the boat on the other end of the ship. It was far enough away that made it difficult to see but close enough that I was sure I could find Alice if she appeared. The bodies on that boat were being smashed together as tightly as they could. They were all so close together it was hard to be certain but I don't think Alice is there. When the boat became so full they were lowered. My stomach tightened as they lowered into the rough waters and were attempting to paddle away but there was no point in trying to fight the ocean. It was taking them wherever they wanted. They were screaming and shouting and water was being splashed into the boat and the boat was swinging and suddenly a boy falls out. He looks so small from here and the water seems to swallow him and spit him out then pull him in deeper. A man manages to grab hold of him and they are all trying to grab him and pull him onto the boat. I have to tear my eyes away I don't want to see what happens. I can't. My eyes land on the new boat they are loading. There's only a few people on it and one of them is small with dark red hair.

"ALICE!" I scream desperately as loud as I can. By some miracle she turns around. I keep screaming even after I know she sees me.

"BELLA!" she shrieks while clinging to the side of the boat. Suddenly my boat drops a few feet and everyone in the boat struggles to remain standing. There was too many people to sit. So I held on tight to the side. I was so focused on Alice I hadn't realized how tightly we were squeezed in.

"ARE YOU OKAY?"I yell as the boat lowers a few more feet. But I don't hear her answer as our boat lowers further closer to the ocean and I focus on grabbing onto the boat to keep steady whilst being pushed by the other people. Suddenly the boat drops and we all grab on as it splashes into the water and water splashes everywhere and the boat immediately begins to shake roughly as the wave's crash against the sides and we are thrust around. Most of the people on the boat had fallen when the boat fell and they were all piled on top of each other mostly the people in the middle that didn't have anything to grab onto. I was holding tight to the back of the boat. The rain and the ocean water had me soaking wet and my body feels heavy as I try to stand still the side of the boat was higher than my waist which made it easier to get a good grip. But the boat is being pushed from both sides and then suddenly it lifts and crashes down again and it's pushed further and further away from the ship. People were falling on top of each other and I felt hands gripping onto my elbow trying to stay standing. So I put all my focus on holding on. I close my eyes and it seems as though it all changes. I can hear the screaming and the rough waves. I feel the cold water soaking me further making my sweater feel heavier and my jeans cling to my legs tightly. I feel hands bruising my skin and bodies falling and being thrown around on the boat. My heart is pulsating my ears and my arms are beginning to feel weak but I don't dare let go even as bile threatens to rise up my throat at the thought of what is happening. Then suddenly the boat lifts again, but this time it doesn't crash back down. It flips and the boat slides out from my hands and I am thrown hitting the water roughly. My body gets sucked in and I kick hard to help pull myself up and when I do I only manage to take in another breath as another wave crashes down on top of me. My life jacket does me little good as by the time I float to the top another wave is crashing into me. I'm trying to look around but it's hard to see with so much water I don't hear many people and I'm trying to remember if everyone had a lifejacket but I can't even think. The ship is so far away and despite the fact that other boats had been lowered I can't spot any. And I don't see a single person as wave after wave pushes me down and my life jacket pulls me up only to be shoved down again and again. And then I spot the boat. It was flipped over. I swim as hard as I can to it. The waves are trying to pull me in other directions and the life jacket was bulky making it hard to move my arms properly but the boat was coming in my direction so I just had to push hard enough to fight the water that was fighting me. Suddenly a large wave crashed over me and I was underwater again. Just as my life jacket was pulling me up my hand touches something firm. I immediately grasp at it. The boat! It was slippery in hands but I grab it as best I can. It was still upside down but I knew I wouldn't be able to flip it all on my own. So I cling to it. My body was now being shoved into it. And I was trying to find a way to get a well enough grip to pull myself up. When a wave begins to lift behind me I manage to lift my leg and hook my foot on the side of the boat as the water pulls it down. I use the force of the wave to help lift me on top of the overturned boat. I nearly slide off to the other side .But I manage to get a good enough grip to straddle the boat and hold on. I am gasping for air finally being able to take a decent breath. I was struggling to stay on as the bottom of the boat was slippery and the waves were still thrashing me about. But I managed to stay on.

I was alone. I could not see a single boat around. Or any people and I had been pushed so far away I could only hear a faint hum of the people still on the ship. I had been pushed to the other side of the boat so I couldn't even see if they were still lowering boats. The ship was already sinking down on one side. The front of the ship looked as if it were being swallowed by the ocean. The rain picked up again making it only harder to stay on. I manage to hold on a little while longer as the boat is pushed further and further from the ship. But then the boat begins to sink as a huge wave begins to form. It crashes into the side completely throwing me off and swallowing me. As I'm pulled down something long wraps around me knee. I manage to grip it as my lifesaver pulls me back to the surface. It was a rope. A rope attached to the boat. I grip it and I pull it as hard as I can. The boat has flipped over right side up. This time it's much easier to grab onto the boat and I use whatever strength I have left to pull myself over the side and fall into the boat. I lay there in the middle of the boat where there is no seats. The boat was filling with rain water but I couldn't pull myself up off the floor. I tie the rope as tight as I can around my wrist in case the boat flips again. Suddenly I can't hold it back anymore. I am curled up in a puddle on a boat and I just can't stop as sobs rip through my body as realization really hits me. Our ship was sinking. It is sinking. It's probably sunk by now. Alice could be anywhere. She could be dead for all I know. Jake too. And here I was in a boat big enough to fit twenty people, and I was alone. I am alone.

Thanks so much for reading everyone I have another chapter coming really soon, promise.


	3. Chapter 3

My body feels hot. And heavy. And wet. I can feel light on my face, but my eyes feel as though they have been glued together. When I do manage to get one open I shut it immediately when I realize just how sunny it really is. For a moment panic sets in when I try to move my body and I can't. It all feels so heavy. Like I'm being held down. Everything hurts. My throat feels raw and my clothes are clinging to me and I'm in a puddle and I can't move. Finally I make my hand twitch. Eventually I am able to pry it puff the ground and lift it over my eyes. I force them open one by one. The sun was so bright and the waves were rocking slowly now. Pushing me in whatever direction they wanted. It was day now. I manage to pull myself up into a sitting position and from there I grab onto one of the seats and manage to pull myself up onto it. By now my eyes have adjusted though they still feel swollen and heavy. My stomach tightens as I realize there is absolutely nothing around me. I am surround by Blue Ocean all around. And not a single soul. I'm gasping for breath as the memories of the day before come through. I don't allow myself to fall apart again. I can't.

I force myself to stand. My body feels weak and beat up but I know I need to move around. I untie the rope from my wrist and after a moment's hesitation I unbuckle the enormous life jacket and lay it out on the bench to dry. My clothes were still soaked but they were hot from the sun. I manage to slip off my large hoodie easily and the moment o do I start to feel better. It was so heavy with all the hot water in it only made it harder on my body. I try to squeeze some water out of it but I feel as though I have no force in me so I just extend it on a bench and let it be. I had to peel my jeans off me. They were so tight it made it nearly impossible to do it with all my sore limbs. I take off my tank top as well and lay everything on the benches to dry. My body felt lighter and the heat was already beginning to dry my skin.

My mouth felt like cotton. I was so thirsty I knew I drank so much salt water yesterday. I was dehydrated. I quickly make my way to the front of the boat and sure enough under the seat was a latch. Inside were cans upon cans labeled water. I quickly manage to rip one open. Water had never tasted so good. When it's gone I know I shouldn't but I tear another one open and finish off half of it before setting it aside. The few drops of water that rolled down my chin I use to rub on my face that feels dry and salty. Beside the cans are a bunch of little aluminum packets. After examining one I tear it open. Inside was some sort of dried bread or cracker. I take a bite out of it. It's not very good. Sort of like Styrofoam. It was fluffy when you first bite into it and as you chew it turns into flavorless mush. I eat all of it in three bites then drink the last of my can of water before going back exploring what was in the box. There was a complete first aid kit. A clear bag which had some sort of plastic inside that must be for getting water or something , three red flare guns, a smoke signal, a knife, a whistle, a box filled with fishing supplies, a flashlight two boxes of matches wrapped in plastic and a little booklet and pencil. I'm about to ready the booklet when something thumps against the side of the boat. I immediately jump up and look over the side of the boat.

It was a red suitcase floating in the water. I reach down and pull it up. I survey the area and spot another two suit cases drifting just a few feet away. I use one of the paddles that was hooked to the inside of the boat to pull it over, this ones were bigger and heavier and it takes me a few tries to get them into the boat. After making sure I didn't spot anymore stuff or any people. O tear open the red suitcase. By heart sinks. Tears well up in my eyes as I stare down at a suitcase filled with clothes for a little girl. She might have not even made it. If she did make it then she's just floating around in a boat somewhere, waiting to see if someone will find her. The suitcase had lots of clothes and a little pink hairbrush and a little bag filled with colorful hair ties and ribbons. I grab the brush and a couple of hair ties and close her suitcase and put it off to the side.

My hair had turned into one huge knot. I work the brush through it slowly as I take in my surroundings. A lot of time goes by the time I am able to run the brush through my hair smoothly. Or at least I am assuming because the sun has changed positions and is coming down stronger than ever. I am about to throw my hair in a ponytail when I realize that's probably not the best idea of I don't want to have to spend hours untangling it again. So I divided it in two and braid it. When I'm done I tie it with the colorful hair ties and begin to open another suitcase. Sitting right on top was a pair of binoculars and swimming goggles. Wonderful. I set those aside. The rest was mostly men's clothes and shaving supplies. I zip it up and pull over the next one. To my luck it's filled with women's clothes. It's a couple sizes too big but I decide I should put some clothes on before I am burned to a crisp. I find two bottles of sunscreen and decide to put that on first. Then I slip on a pair of jean shorts that are too big to stay on my hips. I look through the whole thing hoping to find a belt but there isn't one. Then I realize I saw one in the men's case. After strapping it on at the last notch the shorts finally stay on my hips. I then put on the tank top I had set out to dry.

Now that I was cleaned up I figured I should try to set up the water thing. It didn't take very long after I read the instructions. It was just a plastic dome that was taking condensation from the air. It had a little tube to drink from. After I had it set up I surveyed the boat and tried to organize it all with the suitcases and water thing in the back and left room for me to sit in the front. In the process I found two hatchets and a compass at the front of the boat and two buckets. After drinking another can of water and eating another cracker thing I sat in the front of the boat with binoculars and looked around. I was hoping to find anything other than blue water. I looked for what felt like hours and soon the sun began to lower and an orange glow was beginning to set over the water. If I wasn't so terrified I would have thought it was beautiful. As I look over the water I spot something that's bouncing along with the waves. It's hard to tell what it is but its white, maybe another suitcase. I quickly grab the paddles and start to force the boat to change direction. It takes a moment to get the hang of it but once I do I row as fast as I can. As I get closer a chill sets over me as I realize what it is. It isn't a suitcase. It was a body. Suddenly bile rises up my throat and this time I don't try to hold it in. I throw up the little food I have eaten and once there is nothing else to throw up I let my hang head over the side of the boat.

I don't let myself cry or even think much about what has happened. I grab my paddles and continue paddling towards it. When I get close enough I see that it is a man's body. For a moment I'm not sure what to do. I use my paddle to pull the body towards the boat. Its face down and I try not to focus on the fact that this is a person. A dead person. I notice the back pocket is slightly bulging. That's when I realize what I should do. I lean over the boat as far as I can and with some effort I manage to grab the wallet from his pocket. I don't open it I just set it aside then with the help of my paddle I flip the body over. I avoid looking as the body slides down into the water peacefully.

"I'm sorry." I whisper in a scratchy voice." I hope now you are at peace." A tear escapes and I quickly force myself to focus again. I put the paddles back on their hooks and allow the water to push the boat again.

Before I know it the sun is getting low so I decide to lay down a bunch of clothes on the floor of the middle of the boat to make a bed. After putting my now dry sweatshirt on and slipping on two pairs of pajama pants that I tight tightly with the drawstrings o keep them from slipping. I curl up on my make shift bed but I don't fall asleep. The moon was shining on the water making it glitter and the sky was filled with stars. There was so much light. I'm not used to sleeping with light. I don't want to think about Alice, or about Jake. But as I stare up at the stars I see their faces, I can't stop myself from wondering about where they are, if they are in a situation a lot like mine or if they aren't in any situation at all. My heart clenches at the thought of what that would mean. I twist and turn all night, but I don't fall asleep until what must have been just before morning.

I awake to the sound of thumping repeatedly. It takes me a moment to figure out what that means. I jump up and look overboard, there's another two suitcases. I haul them up. One blue one grey. Both unbelievable soaked and heavy, these must not have been waterproof. I unzip them and leave them open to help it dry in the hot sun, the waves were really soft today. After I drink a can of water and eat a biscuit. I sort through the clothes I laid out last night taking all the clothes I could wear and folding it as tightly as I can. I manage to make it fit into the smallest suitcase and I set that case aside I then fold the rest loosely and manage to fit it the second smallest and then put the suitcase in the biggest one to save a little space. I them empty the wet suit cases and spread out the contents as best I can to let it dry. When I'm done I fill up the three empty cans of water with the water thing. The name was in the book but I keep forgetting it. Not like anyone was here to correct me. I take the filled cans with me to the front of the boat along with the binoculars and beginning my day of staring out into the water. I take breaks to apply coats of sunscreen, luckily the suitcases provide plenty of sunscreen. The next morning I go through the process of eating and drinking. I am only drinking the water I am making I no longer need to open cans. In fact it makes too much water. I end up using some to wash my face and teeth. Then I get the idea to fill up a suit case with water so that I can take a shower. I use the small pair of scissors I found in a tiny sewing kit to cut the fabric interior out of one of the plastic waterproof suitcases. Then after filling the cans I dump the rest in the suitcase. It only fills up about an inch but by tonight there will be more. The next day after filling my cans I have half a luggage's worth of water. Just as I'm zipping it closed I hear a slight noise that makes my head jerk up. It sounded almost like a whimper. Could it be a bird? That means I might be close to land. I rush to the front of the boat with my binoculars. I hear it again! It's more of a groan this time. As I am roaming my eyes over the sky I catch a glimpse of something. In the ocean. It's far away. But. It's an arm!

"HEY" I yell. At least I try to but my voice is so hoarse it is more like I said it then yelled it. I hear another groan and I quickly unhook the pedals and start pushing the boat in that direction. It's not too hard because there's hardly any movement in the ocean right now. I push as hard and fast as I can 'I'm coming!' I call out a little louder. As I get closer I see it's a man hanging onto a broken piece of wood that might have been from a boat. It was just big enough for him to hang his upper body on. I push myself the last few feet before rushing to the side of the boat to help pull him up , he could barely move but he managed to help me just enough to get him in.

"Oh my god" I breathe as inlay him in the middle of the boat. He's half lucid. I run over to where I keep the cans of water I fill up and pop the lid off and put it against his lips he doesn't move so I lift his head onto my lap and let a little water dribble into his mouth. He appears to swallow and so I dribble a little more. A little at a time he drinks about a third of a can. I lay his head down on my folded sweatshirt and he appears to fall asleep. Or pass out I'm not sure. After heaving the piece of wood he was on onto the boat I stand over him not knowing what to do. The lower half of his body was soaked and I decide maybe I should take off the clothes he was wearing. I hesitate for a moment not sure if he would appreciate it or declare me a pervert but I decide it's for his own good. So first I unbutton his light blue button-down and hang it to dry on the long wood hanging off the front of the ship. Ok. Now his tank top. It's a lot harder than I thought to get it off. His neck and arms are super sun burnt. I avoid looking at his chest… then I unbuckle his belt and slide his jeans off his hips. They are stuck to his skin. I have to practically pry them off. Once I get the off I decide to leave the boxers. That's about as much as I can do without feeling awful. The skin on his legs and feet and even his lower stomach is unbelievably wrinkled. I'm not sure what to do about it but I think maybe just letting the sun hit him will be good. I dry him off gently with a little hand towel I found in one of the cases then I apply sunscreen to his face and arms. It feels very intimate doing so. I am blushing as I rub it over his smooth muscular chest. As I am applying a second coat to his face and neck where he is the most sunburnt I realize underneath the red sunburn I recognize those features. It's him. The man with the book. I can't believe it's him.

I decide its best to let him rest so I drink a can of water and eat a biscuit all the while wishing he would wake up. The sun dries his lower body and it begins to look better. I decide to put a shirt on him so I take out a fresh Hawaiian themed shirt that is a couple sizes too big. His skin is starting to smooth after a while and I decide I should put sunscreen before he starts to burn already his used to be pale white almost blue legs are getting color. I am rubbing sunscreen on his thighs when he begins to stir. His arm flies up to cover his eyes before slowly sitting up. His eyes open and for a moment I'm stunned by their color again. He gazes at me.

"Water" he croaks. His voice was worse than mine. I rush to bring him his can and a biscuit. He drinks what's left of the water but ignores the biscuit and tried to stand up.

"Are you alright?" I ask when he can't.

"My legs are weak. Could you help me onto this bench?'

"Of course" I say rushing over to help lift him. Good thing he wasn't too heavy. "Is that better how are you feeling? Are you hurt?"

"No I'm okay. Just tired and dehydrated and hungry." He says softly.

"Let me get you more water. I say and grab the last can of water I had open. I place it next to him

"I don't think you are supposed to drink too much at once so I'll leave it here for when you are ready. Do you want to try eating?" I say

"What was in the silver package?"

"It's like a biscuit thing. It tastes a bit like saltine crackers, like soda crackers really but it doesn't have any flavor. It's kept me full. I have only been eating two a day I'm trying to ration them since I don't burn many calories sitting on a boat." I say with a small smile. I reach over and grab the biscuit and open the package for him. "Here" I say handing it to him. "Try a small piece."

"Thanks." He says grabbing it and taking a bite. Crumbs roll down his face. It's at that point, as he is chewing that he looks down. "Did you undress me? And do I smell sunscreen?"

"Oh yeah. I did. I thought I should take you out of those wet clothes, I wasn't sure how long you would be asleep. Your skin looked really bad. The sun helped lots. Then I put sunscreen on you to prevent getting burnt. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable I was just trying to help." I say quickly trying to stop the blush from spreading but by the time I'm done talking my whole body feels hot.

"Thank you." He says after a short pause, he was watching me closely. He looks down and takes another bite of the biscuit. I decide to get up then. I look around for something to do. Pants! I should get him pants! I go over to the suitcase and dig through the one filled with men's clothes. I pull out a pair of men's khaki shorts and a belt and bring it over to him. He was watching me surprised.

"I can't believe you have all this. How did this happen? Why do you have the boat to yourself? Wasn't there other people?" he asks taking the clothes from me and setting it beside him.

"Well yes the boat was full, but um when we were lowered down the waves get too strong and it flipped the boat over and everyone fell out. I was treading water for a while and by luck found the boat upside down and climbed on top. Eventually another wave flipped it back over and by then I found a rope and tied myself to the boat. I was already so far from the ship I couldn't find anyone in the water. The boat was already half sunk by then. Since then I have been on my own, suitcases keep drifting by and I pick them up. They have been a lot of help." I explain.

"You weren't hurt when the boat flipped?" he asks.

"No I'm okay, a few bruises here and there. I guess I got lucky." I say looking down.

"You were that girl I ran into on the ship?" he asks.

"Yes" I say then after a moment. "My name is Bella... Isabella… but Bella."

"Edward." He replies. We don't say much after that. He finishes his biscuits and drinks a little more water before changing into the shorts. By then the sun is getting low so I explain to him how I lay out clothes on the middle of the boat as a bed and he helps. This time I make it as big as I can so we can both fit. It will be a tight fit but that's what we have to deal with. When we finish the sun is casting a red glow over everything. He tucks all the suitcases under the seats before laying down beside me on the bed. It's not long enough to fully out stretch our legs but we curl up on our sides back to back. I'm trying to give him as much room as possible.

"Sorry." I whisper when I accidentally brush his back.

"Look we are going to end up touching throughout the night so let's just get it over with." He says before allowing his back to press evenly against mine.

"Okay." I say before relaxing. Our backs are gently touching and I'm trying not to think about it. We pull some clothes over us to help keep warm from the ocean breeze. The sky turns blue and the sky fills with stars and I'm still thinking about him.

In the morning we wake up to the sun. I wake up a little earlier then him but I don't move until I feel him move. We both sit up at the same time.

"Morning." He says rubbing his eyes. I just grin at him. "What?" he asks when he notices me smiling?

"Nothing it just feels nice not to wake up alone." I blush and look down. "How are you feeling?" I ask standing up and stretching.

"Weak and stiff but definitely better. "He says as he stands up slowly.  
I go over to fill the cans of water. The thing was overflowing because I didn't empty it the night before.

"Are those the only cans of water we have?" He asks as I hand him one.

"no there's more but once I got this thing working I realized there was no need to open more so I figured best to keep them saved in case of an emergency. Plus the water from the cans doesn't taste as good."

"I sure would have appreciated canned water when I was drifting"

"I'm sorry it must have been awful" I say handing him breakfast. I go over to the side of the boat to brush my teeth. "There's other toothbrushes in that pocket." I use very little toothpaste to make it last. Using someone else's brush seemed nasty until I realized it could take months for someone to find us, I can't go months without brushing my teeth. He brushes his teeth without comment then without another word we meet in the middle of the boat and eat together. I give him two biscuits and two cans of water. He hesitates before eating both. But I know he is starving. When we both finish we start folding up the clothes.

"It's hard to keep warm at night when the wind blows everything off. "He says as he folds and I pack.

"I know I think today I will sew some clothes together to make it one big blanket."

"Wow you have everything. You found all that from suitcases?"

"Yes thank god for the people that are over prepared." I smile at him. We pack it all up. And he decides to count all the food and cans of water we have. I start going through the clothes trying to decide what's best to sew together I don't want to use clothes that we could use but I'm trying to pick the warmest unfortunately everyone was packed for beach fun I find some men's clothes that's too small for him but it's not enough.

"Hey, there's a suitcase."

I look up and sure enough there is a green case floating right next to the boat. It looks waterproof too. We pull it up and open it. It is waterproof. And it's perfect for sewing. The clothes inside is for a very thin teenager, a very sophisticated teen. It's filled with soft cardigans and pale pastel button ups. This girl must have gotten easily cold, as I pull out tons of cardigans and sweaters. There's also a big sewing kit. Not big but definitely not a mini one like the other two I found. The strange thing was everything was packed into packing cubes, and all the mini bottles were packed neatly in a spill proof pouch.

"She sure was organized wasn't she?" He says as he watches me pull things out of the cubes.

"Yeah I don't remember ever being this well-organized. " I smile at him laughing softly as I set clothes into piles.

After he sets off to organize the food and I begin to sew the little button up shirts together. I don't want to ruin the clothes just in case they end up coming in handy at some point. I am sewing them together as closely as I can and sewing the short sleeves down so they don't bother us.

"Were you on the cruise alone? "He asks suddenly.

"No. Actually I was with my best friend, Alice." I reply. Then after a pause." And my boyfriend Jacob."

"Oh"

"How about you? I don't remember ever seeing you with anyone." I say. He glances up at me with an eyebrow raised. I then realize what I have admitted and blush. I'm an idiot he will think I'm a stalker AND a pervert.

"Actually my mother and father own the ship. They made me take the cruise. I really didn't want to go." He says ignoring my comment.

"They own the ship? That's so cool. Why wouldn't you want to go on a free cruise? That's silly."

"Well I'm in medical school, I didn't want to waste any time, but they insisted this year I take advantage of vacation while I have the chance. Though cruise ships really aren't my idea of relaxation, I took it to put my mom at ease."

"Well I suppose I really am lucky." I say

"What do you mean?" He asks watching me again.

"If I had to choose someone to be stranded on a boat in the middle of the ocean a medical student is definitely a good choice." I reply not taking my eyes off the shirts, but I hear his chuckle.

"I suppose you are lucky." I blush like an idiot.

"Well turns out we have plenty of food." He says after a moment. "Enough for both of us to eat three times a day for the next three months. Surely by then we will find a way to fish or something."

"Hopefully by then we will be found." I correct him.

"Well..." he says then stops.

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Don't do that I can't stand that. What is it? Do you not believe we will be found or something?" I say putting down the shirts to look at him. He has a pained look on his face.

"It's just that things are a bit more complicated then you know. "

"What does that mean?" I ask confused.

"Well the captain is a friend of my families. When the ship was first hit I went off to find him to find out what happened. He told me that about a two days after we left Miami our radios went off. Which wasn't a big deal but the captain did decide to veer off course a bit to an island close by. But that was only supposed to set the trip off by about half a day or so which he was planning to make up on the way back. Only we didn't arrive when we were supposed to. It was then they realized that the ships navigation was set incorrectly. The ship had been going in a wrong direction ever since the radio went off. The next day we hit a rock that was under water and that they didn't see because the system was all messed up. Whomever is looking for us wouldn't have known until the next day when the ship didn't arrive. Then when they do begin to look they could be looking in the wrong place." He finishes looking away from my face now.

This was all too much. This sort of stuff didn't happen anymore, it just doesn't make any sense.

"So we might never be found?"

It's possible." He says and I let out the breathe I hadn't realized I had been holding. I look down and pick up the clothes. I continue sewing as I blink back tears I am pricking my fingers too much because I can't see properly but I do my best to hold it all in. The rest of the day is mostly a blur I go through the motions I realize I might end up doing for the next few months. I can't live like this for the next few months it hasn't been a week and I already feel like a robot. I am laying down with my back pressed against a completely stranger. This could be my life from now on. My life will be confined to a boat surrounded by water. I can't get this out of my mind. I don't even know how long it takes me to finally fall asleep but even in my dreams I feel trapped.

Thanks for reading and commenting I really enjoy reading the comments and i appreciate any feedback and suggestions! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and i will have the next chapter up in the next few days.

~With Love Marilyn


	4. Chapter 4

Five. That's the number of days I have been on this boat. Four for Edward. Five for me. Five days since the ship sank. Five days of not knowing what happened to Alice or Jacob. Did Alice's boat flip over like mine? If it did was she lucky like me to get back on a boat. Maybe her boat didn't flip and she's standing on a crowded boat. Did Jacob even make it on a boat at all? So many questions. Not a single answer.

Four days have gone by on the boat with Edward. While a part of me is glad not to be alone, another part of me thinks I might as well be alone. He doesn't talk much. Then again there's not much to talk about. There's not much to do either. We end up finding two paperback books in a suitcase, a deck of cards in another, but even that doesn't keep us entertained for long. In the mornings he wakes up earlier then I do. I think he is more sensitive to the light then I am. He spends the mornings trying to fish with a makeshift fishing device he made. He hasn't caught anything but eventually I'm sure he will. His skin has been peeling from the sunburnt he got from drifting in the water that first day. It looks painful but he doesn't talk about it. He just reads the books. When he finishes one he switches to the other. He's probably read both of them four times now. I wonder if their even any good. I don't ask. I just sit there playing solitaire. Over and over again.

Everything we do in this boat we do in silence. He handles the food. Everyday three times a day he hands me two packages of crackers and a can of water. I'm so sick of those crackers. We take turns bathing in the morning. We each wash ourselves with a tiny amount of soap and the spare water we collect and a t shirt we cut into two rags. I spend time every morning brushing my hair slowly and braiding it tightly just to kill time. I even plucked my eyebrows yesterday. I apply sunscreen thoroughly multiple times a day and so does he.

A part of me wants to go for a swim in the water but it makes me a little nervous. Swimming here is different there's no ground it seems endless and it makes me a little nervous to try it alone. Edward spent a lot of time in the water that first day and he doesn't seem to be interested in getting back in there anytime soon. I haven't asked. Ever since that first day it's like a wall went up between us, and neither of us has had the courage to get past it. He doesn't break the silence so I don't either. So we don't talk. The silence kills me. But it feels wrong to break it.

Today I'm sitting at the front of the boat. Sitting right at the tip with my legs dangling over the water. Edward is laying on one of the benches sprawled out reading one of the books for the millionth time. This is the first time I have sat like this. I'm thinking from now on it will be my spot. The little waves splash against the sides. The water sprinkles up getting my leg slightly wet. The boat is drifting softly today. And for once the gentle sway of the boat seems relaxing. The water is fairly calm. It's almost inviting. The sky is clear and the sun is hot. It's very hot actually. I'm in a pair of khaki shorts and a sleeveless shirt and there's sweat forming on my forehead and the back of my neck. The breeze today is minimal.

I have been sitting here for what feels like forever. Staring at the cold water. My heart is begging me to get in but my mind is afraid. It's just so hot. And I'm so bored. I am beginning to feel like I can't take it anymore. Any of it. The heat. The boat. The crackers. The silence. I'm sick of my thoughts for days they have been all I have had. I don't even realize the moment I push myself off the boat until my legs are slipping into the cold water. My body slips into the water cutting off my thoughts. The water feels clean and fresh. By the time I come up for air I feel like I have washed away everything.

"Are you okay? Did you fall?" Edward calls from the side of the boat as he leans over looking worried. I grin up at him treading water.

"I'm fine now! In fact I'm great! The water is perfect. You should give it a try!" I call out to him before turning around and swimming away from the boat. I swim just a few feet away from the boat before flipping onto my back and floating with my eyes closed. I lay there with my eyes closed for only moment before I hear a splash. I flip around to find Edwards head popping out of the water pushing his long hair out of his face.

"You were right." He says. "The water is perfect."

We both are floating on our backs for a while. Between the hot sun and cold water I feel so at peace I could almost fall asleep. I don't think about anything other than the fact that I want to feel this way my whole life.

"Why didn't we think of this before?" I say to him. Finally breaking the silence.

"The day is so beautiful." He says after a while of not answering. I don't reply. Partly because I don't know what to say, and partly because I don't feel the need to answer. He has already said it all.

"I'm sorry." He says after another while has passed. I open my eyes and face him going back to treading water. "I shouldn't have told you what I did." He continues facing me as well.

"It's okay. You had to tell me. I'm glad you did. It just wasn't something I wanted to hear."

"I know. I wish I didn't even know. I didn't realize it would take away your hope. I should have thought first."

We drift through the water for a while longer. Sometimes swimming around sometimes just floating. I don't know when it happens but we eventually begin holding hands when we are floating so that we don't drift away from each other. After slipping into such peacefulness I'm not even sure which one of us made the move.

"Should we go get some food? I'm starving now." He says. I open my eyes and notice the sun is on the other side of the sky now. Now that he mentions it I am starving. We have floated away from the boat but not very far.

"I'll race you there." I say. I don't waste any time and start swimming towards the boat. We both reach it at the same time. Neither of us really tries all that hard. It takes us a moment to find a way to pull ourselves up. But when we do our clothes starts to form a puddle. He heads to the back of the boat and I head to the front where we have somehow decided to separate our stuff. We have gotten used to changing with our backs to each other but this is the first time we both change at the same time. I slip into another pair of shorts that are longer and reach my knees and a camisole.

"Is it safe to look?" I call when I'm done.

"It is." He says and we both turn around. He's switched into a white t shirt and khaki shorts. His hair is slicked back away from his face that is beginning to stubble. I unbraid my hair as he grabs our food. We both eat in the middle of the boat and though we don't say anything this time it feels okay. It's not uncomfortable like it was before. It's just that feeling where nothing needs to be said. Every now and then our gazes meet mid chew and we smile. And it's nice. All this time together and this is the first time I am reminded of his striking green eyes. The way they seem to have all the answers. When we finish he makes a grab for one of the books.

"You can't honestly still find that interesting." I say watching him. He looks up surprised for a split second.

"It's not but it's slightly better than staring at the same blue ocean." He replies.

"That's true." I say. "How about a game of poker or something instead." I say holding up the deck. "I don't think I can handle another game of solitaire." He chuckles at that but moves to sit next to me.

"Alright you're going to have to teach me to play." I say placing the cards in front of him. He laughs again.

We go on to discover I'm quite good at poker. He claims it's nothing but beginners luck but I think I really do have a talent. Maybe I wasted all this time in school when I should have went straight to Vegas. We joke around easily all afternoon. We don't talk about anything but the game and it seems to take a load off. When the sky is nearly dark we pack up our cards and go through our night routine. By now I have sewn together three blankets worth of clothes. One that's made of sweaters we use to lay on and a sheet made of button up shirts and another sweater blanket. While they are all hideous they make it a lot easier to keep warm without the night breeze blowing it off. They are both big enough to tuck ourselves fully under. Though I'm getting sick of sleeping on my side with my legs tucked in but we don't have the room to sleep any other way.

"Do you mind switching sides tonight? My shoulder is killing me from sleeping on it every night." He asks as we are laying down our sheets.

"I thought you would never ask." I say before scooting to the other side. I lay on his side and he lays on mine and although it feels strange to be on this side I am grateful my shoulder can get some rest. It really is uncomfortable sleeping in the exact same position every night.

"Goodnight." I say.

"Goodnight."

The next morning I awake to the sound of a splash. I peel my eyes open to see Edward trying to fish. I sit up slowly taking in the same blue sly and Blue Ocean I have been looking at for what feels like forever.

"Morning." He says as he notices me sitting up.

"Morning" I smile at him.

I get up and begin folding up our sheets so that I can tuck them into the waterproof suitcase we keep them in. I notice Edward is freshly shaven and in different clothes. Despite the fact that his hair is looking longer he does his best to look clean and tidy. I pick out my clothes and begin to get ready. Edward notices me doing so and automatically turns his back to me. I quickly wash my body with the rag before getting dressed. Today I slip on a blue bikini beneath my clothes. The bikini is a bit more revealing then I would have liked but it's the only one that would fit. After I'm dressed I let Edward know I'm done and he grabs our breakfast as I brush my teeth. I meet him in the middle of the boat.

"Do you think todays going to be your lucky day?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean will we be feasting on something other than Styrofoam tonight?" I say and he chuckles.

"God I hope so don't want to complain because I have every right to be grateful but these things are awful." He says examining it before taking another bite.

"That's why I picked you up. I thought you would be my fisherman. You better start bringing home the bacon or I'm going to have to fire you and find someone else." I tease. We grin at each other for a moment before finishing off our breakfast. When we are done he heads to the back to check the line before recasting it and hooking it to the side of the boat. When he's done he sits to flip through his book. We hadn't found any suitcases in the last three days. It's safe to assume that what we have now is all we will be getting. I slip to my new favorite spot to brush and braid my hair. When I'm done I reapply sunscreen. Once I can't think of another thing that needs to be done the sun is set high in the sky and burning hot. I decide to go for another swim today. I slip off my clothes and this time lower myself slowly into the water. It's warmer today then yesterday. I decide on doing some laps. Maybe some exercise will do me good. I figure the only way to keep track of my distance is to time myself so I swim twenty seconds away from the boat before turning around and swimming twenty seconds back. I do this few times before taking a little break to catch my breath. I suppose sitting around on a boat doesn't exactly get you into shape. I repeat this process over and over until my shoulders and legs start feeling tired. When I'm done I head back to the boat. Edward looks up at me as I climb on.

"How's the water?"

"Warm." I say squeezing the water out of my braids before undoing them. I slip on a blue oversized t shirt and spread out on a bench to dry under the sun. After a while Edward comes over and he teaches me how to play blackjack. We eat as we play. I don't do as well on this one and it gets old pretty fast. We both get sick of it and he moves to the back and I move to the front. He begins rummaging through his suitcases while I rebraid my hair. When I'm done I lay back down on the bench and stare up at the clear blue sky. Not a cloud insight. When suddenly something flies through the air and hits me in the stomach. I sit up and look around for the object that hit me. When I find it I hear Edward give a low chuckle. It's a shirt balled up and tied with string to make a makeshift ball. I hold it up looking at his face surprised.

"Did you make this just so you can have something to throw at me?" I say trying to fight the laugh. I throw the ball at him and he catches it easily. And that's how it begins we throw the ball back and forth each one of us trying to make it harder for the other to catch it. We end up fishing it out of the water a couple times, each time making it heavier and heavier. The whole time we are just laughing and jumping around making the boat sway and rock. Little by little the game calms down to the point where we are sitting on our opposite sides tossing the ball back and forth. That's when we hear it. At first it comes so softly we look at each other. Both of us asking the same question in our eyes. "Did you hear that too?'

Then it comes again a little louder and we both scramble to get up. He jumps to the front of the boat while I scramble for the binoculars I had so stupidly put away. When I get them I rush to the front,

"Do you see anything?" I ask handing him the binoculars. He's searching the sky.

"It sounded like a bird didn't it?"

"I think so." I mutter just as we hear the squawk again.

"THERE IT IS IT'S A BIRD!" he yells excitedly he hands me the binoculars but I don't need them to see it now. It's coming right at us. Squawking proudly.

"It's a Goodman bird!" I laugh unbelievingly.

A bird is everything. A bird means nearby land.

Hey guys sorry for the long wait but here it is! I know it's shorter but I will have the next one out asap. Hope you enjoyed!

~with love Marilyn


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